What Is Crystalline Silica?
Silica, often referred to as quartz, is a very common mineral. It is found in many materials common on construction sites, including soil, sand, concrete, masonry, rock, granite, and landscaping materials. The dust created by cutting, grinding, drilling or otherwise disturbing these materials can contain crystalline silica particles. These dust particles are very small and invisible to the naked eye. When inhaled, even in very small amounts, silica dust can cause serious health hazards. Each exposure to silica adds to the lung damage.
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What Is Silicosis?
Silicosis is a disabling, irreversible, and sometimes fatal lung disease. When a worker inhales crystalline silica, the lungs react by developing hard nodules and scarring around the trapped silica particles. If the nodules become too large, breathing becomes difficult and death can result. There is no cure for this disease, but it is 100% preventable.
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Get Compliant
Whether you are concerned about the health of your employees, your health, compliance or increasing productivity, Bosch has developed PRO+GUARD protection systems. In order to move toward compliancy and protection, it is critical that every component in the system is designed to effectively remove dust. Bosch dust collection systems can reduce airborne dust, helping to create a safer and healthier working environment.
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Protect Yourself & Others
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule to curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease in Americaʼs workers by limiting their exposure to respirable crystalline silica. While using power tools with a dust attachment/ accessory and dust extractors with the right filter, exposure to silica can be drastically reduced. The new standard went into effect on June 23, 2016, and employers are required to comply with all obligations of the standard by June 23, 2017.
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